The Running Foxes chase down 378 on historic day

DAY FOUR | Middlesex CCC 295 & 218 v Leicestershire 136 & 378 for five

POINTS | Leicestershire 19, Middlesex 5

SCORECARD | Available HERE

REPORT | Leicestershire chase down 378 in four sessions to claim their first victory of the 2021 LV= County Championship campaign, and set a new third highest successful run chase in County Championship cricket in the Club’s history.

Harris and Colin Ackermann set a new third wicket partnership against Middlesex eclipsing Gower and Davison’s previous record of 236*.

Both batsmen of the record-breaking partnership posted centuries, with Ackermann’s being his first in two years.

The final day got underway in Leicestershire with Marcus Harris picking up where he left off yesterday, sending Ethan Bamber for two boundaries from the first over of the day.

Tom Helm came into the attack to join Bamber, and struck with his first ball of the day as he strangled Sam Evans down the leg side as the batsman nicked one through to John Simpson behind without adding to his day three score of 26.

Colin Ackermann joined Harris (49*) in the middle with County knowing that losing another quick wicket would pile pressure on the remaining batsmen, and dash hopes of the Running Foxes looking to earn themselves a result.

The third wicket partnership saw Harris bring up his third Leicestershire half-century, coming from 83 balls and including nine fours.

Harris then accelerated his score into the seventies in double time, as Ackermann provided stability at the other end.

The duo safely saw County through the lunch break, with the Running Foxes having added a further 92 runs to their total for the loss of Evans’ wicket.

Leicestershire took lunch on 167 for two with Harris just shy of his second Leicestershire century on 93, and Ackermann steadily building on 18.

Just over four overs into the afternoon session and Harris brought up his century as he edged Martin Andersson down through third man for his thirteenth boundary of the day, with the ton coming from 193 balls.

Ackermann then followed suit and posted his first half-century of the season in typical Ackermann fashion by sweeping Thilan Walallawita through the leg side.

The fifty came from his eighth boundary in 104 balls.

The captain then followed up his half-century with another four off Wallalawita as the shift in momentum began to swing in the favour of Leicestershire with County having passed the half-way mark of the run chase.

In the final over before the new ball was taken by Middlesex, Marcus Harris went big as he sent Hollman back over his head for the first maximum of the game to move into the 130’s.

The new ball failed to make any sort of immediate impact as both Harris and Ackermann were purring with the sunshine beating down on the Uptonsteel County Ground turf.

From the fourth over of the new ball, Harris took Helm for three consecutive boundaries, posting 12 from it, cutting the bowler away through the leg side each time.

Two overs later and Harris brought up his 150 for County, driving Bamber away for his twentieth boundary of the innings in 250 balls.

The final interval of the tie then came up with both batsmen still at the crease with Harris on 164, Ackermann on 80 and Leicestershire on 282 for two trailing Middlesex by 95.

The duo came out for the final session of the contest and carried on chipping away at the remaining deficit as Middlesex’s bowling attack searched to break the stand.

The partnership then broke the record for the third wicket against Middlesex, as Ackermann clipped Walallawita down to fine leg for four more.

With that boundary, Harris and Ackermann eclipsed the record of 236* set by David Gower and Brian Davison at Lord’s in 1976.

The partnership moved into the 240’s but failed to reach its 250^th run as the wicket of Harris fell for 185. The Australian nicked Walallawita’s delivery through to Simpson who claimed his second catch of the innings.

Three balls later, and Colin Ackermann brought up his first century in 2021 for Leicestershire as he swept Walallawita away for his sixteenth four in 229 balls.

Lewis Hill was now in the middle with Ackermann as the deficit dropped below 50.

Hill’s stint only lasted 11 minutes, though, before Walallawita claimed his second in quick succession by pinning the Leicestershire man infront for 2.

Harry Swindells joined Ackermann (102*) in the middle with County trailing by 46 and looked to insert some composure back into County’s batting.

He quickly got off the mark with a four off Helm as he chopped him away down to third man.

Swindells, like Hill, failed to see the game out alongside his skipper as the Leicestershire-born batsman was bowled by Bamber for 12.

Ben Mike made his way out to the middle to join Ackermann who was sat on 112, with Leicestershire trailing by 22.

A crucial boundary followed quickly from Ackermann as he cut Walallawita down to third man for four, leaving County trailing by 16.

Mike then drove Bamber for a nerve-settling boundary as the ball flew down to wide long-off and over the rope leaving the Running Foxes with three to win.

The very next ball saw Leicestershire claim their first LV= County Championship win of 2021 as Ackermann swept Hollman down to long leg giving himself and Mike enough time to run up the three needed.

With those three runs, Leicestershire had completed their third highest successful run chase in their history as the 378 runs set by Middlesex on day three had been acquired with a handful of overs left in the day.

Ackermann ended the day on 126* accompanied by Mike 9*.

FIGURES (2nd inns) | Bamber 26-5-75-2, Helm 32-7-74-1, Andersson 19-2-54-0, Walallawita 24-1-84-2, Hollman 21.1-2-72-0, Gubbins 1-0-2-0

TEAM | Hassan Azad, Sam Evans, Marcus Harris, Colin Ackermann (C), Lewis Hill, Harry Swindells (wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wright, Ed Barnes, Will Davis.

MIDDLESEX CCC | Sam Robson, Stephen Eskinazi, Nick Gubbins, Peter Handscomb (C), Robbie White, John Simpson, Martin Andersson, Luke Hollman, Tom Helm, Ethan Bamber, Thilan Walallawita.

IMAGES | Thanks to John Mallett of Outside Off for providing the images throughout the game.

MATCH SPONSOR | Thanks to Knight Frank for being our match sponsor.